Wandsworth

Wandsworth's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to 2011. At the same time there were changes in housing tenure, religion and ethnicity.

The population reached nearly 310,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Wandsworth increased by 18%, from about 260,000 to 307,000.

The addition of just under 47,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Wandsworth was home to, on average, 64 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across London

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Wandsworth

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Wandsworth increased by one year, from 31 to 32 years.

This cosmopolitan area had a lower average age than London and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of almost 15,000 people between the ages of 30 and 39 years, while the population over the age of 80 years decreased by about 800.

About 23% of people in Wandsworth are aged between 30 and 39 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Wandsworth by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

Wandsworth saw London's second-largest rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

In 2011, just under one in eight (12%) households in Wandsworth had an unmarried couple, compared with 10% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising just one person decreased from 37% to 32%.

Across the region, only Islington saw a greater rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple (from 9.4% to 12%).

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was higher than across London

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Wandsworth that rented privately increased from 23% to 32% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in five (20%) households lived in social housing, compared with 23% in 2001. The percentage of Wandsworth households that owned their home decreased from 52% to 46%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a slower rate here than the figure for the whole of London (from 15% in 2001 to 25% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Wandsworth increased by 8.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in Wandsworth, London and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Wandsworth

The percentage of Wandsworth residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 4.6% to 4.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities remained close to 2.0%, while the percentage of Wandsworth residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 93%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 5.8% in 2001 to 5.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across London

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Wandsworth

The number of people in Wandsworth that described themselves as having no religion increased from just over 52,000 in 2001 to just under 83,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 20% to 27% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across London (from 16% to 21%), but at a slower rate than the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Wandsworth that described themselves as Christian remained close to 160,000 between the last two censuses (from 62% to 53% of the population). The number of people who described themselves as Muslim increased from about 14,000 to just under 25,000 (from 5.2% to 8.1%).

About 24,000 people (8.8%) did not state their religion, up from just under 23,000 in 2001 (7.9%).

The population without a religion in Wandsworth increased by 7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Wandsworth by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Wandsworth

The number of people in Wandsworth from the White ethnic groups increased from about 200,000 in 2001 to just under 220,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 78% to 71%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across London (from 71% to 60%), but at a faster rate than the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Wandsworth from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 20,000 in 2001 to about 33,000 in 2011 (from 7.8% to 11%). The number of residents from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from just over 25,000 to about 33,000 (from 9.6% to 11%).

About 15,000 people (3.4%) said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from just over 8,700 in 2001 (5.0%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Wandsworth decreased by 6.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Wandsworth by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Wandsworth residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.2% to 3.8% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (87%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 75% in 2001. The percentage of Wandsworth residents that described their health as fair decreased from 18% to 8.9%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 8.3% in 2001 to 5.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Wandsworth decreased by 3.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Wandsworth, London and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of self-employment

The percentage of Wandsworth residents that were self-employed increased from 9.2% to 12% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (59%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 58% in 2001. The percentage of Wandsworth residents that were unemployed decreased from 3.9% to 3.8%.

The proportion of self-employed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 9.0% in 2001 to 12% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.2% to 9.7%.

The rate of self-employment in Wandsworth increased by 2.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Wandsworth, London and England that said they were self-employed, March 2001 and March 2011

Wandsworth stood out from other areas for relationships

The percentage of married people increased in Wandsworth, while falling across London and England.

In Wandsworth, the proportion went up from 32% in 2001 to 33% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion fell from 42% to 40%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Wandsworth remained close to 54%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner decreased from 9.0% to 8.9%.

The proportion of married people was lower than across London

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Change in work hours

The percentage of employed people in Wandsworth working less than 16 hours increased from 1.5% to 2.2% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in seven (15%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 16% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 2.0% in 2001 to 3.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week was lower than across London

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Wandsworth residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.8% to 0.9% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.2%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 1.0% in 2001 to 1.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Wandsworth remained close to 0.9%

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Wandsworth by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Wandsworth with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 6.4% to 6.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in four (24%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 22% in 2001. While the percentage of households in Wandsworth without children decreased from 71% to 69%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 8.7% in 2001 to 9.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across London

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

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